1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a tool having movable, clamping jaws for releasably supporting an item of jewelry, wherein the jaws are carried by a housing that is detachably and rotatably coupled to a frame by means of finger-actuated elements permitting selective minute adjustment of the degree of resistance to rotation of the housing relative the frame. In turn, the frame is pivotally secured to a stationary support such as a work bench or the like, and a third hand device is connected to the frame in such a manner that the frame can be pivoted without disturbing the positional relationship of the third hand device relative to the jaws supporting the jewelry. A handrest secured to the frame swings to an out-of-the-way position as the frame is moved relative to the support so that access to the item of jewelry may be improved when necessary.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Jewelry crafting is an art that often demands extremely precise work within relatively tight spaces on materials that are relatively expensive to replace if mistakes occur. Jewelry crafters typically perform their work under magnification lenses so that the finished construction of the jewelry item is executed as artfully as practicable. To this end, devices such as clamps, vises or engraving blocks which hold and support the jewelry item should meet a number of criteria so that the craftsman's progress is not hindered. However, known tools for supporting jewelry have been found to exhibit drawbacks of one sort or another.
Conventional ring clamps are widely used for holding rings, and often comprise a device somewhat resembling a clothespin wherein a pair of pivotally interconnected arms have jaws which carry a resilient material for engaging a ring therebetween without marring of the ring surface. Often, a wedge is driven between the arms on the side of the pivotal interconnection remote from the jaw facings, so that the jaws can be biased together to clampingly support the ring. The ring clamp is typically of a configuration adapted for hand-held use whereby the clamp may be rested on a bench pin for use of, for example, a file on the surface of the ring.
Another common jewelry supporting tool comprises an engraving block which includes jewelry supporting jaws that are mounted on a body rotatably secured to a work bench or the like. Such engraving blocks, however, take up otherwise usable space on the work bench and also are relatively heavy and unwieldy, thereby hindering efforts to turn over the engraving block in instances where the item of jewelry has fallen between the jaws within the block. Moreover, the bulky, heavy nature of engraving block prevents convenient hand-held use when necessary. Also, no means is usually provided for tilting the engraving block when it is desirable to reposition the workpiece.
In some cases, a third hand device is used in cooperation with an engraving block or, alternatively, in combination with a ring clamp that is mounted on an outwardly extending arm coupled to the work bench. The third hand device is particularly useful for holding a small object such as a decorative bead or the like against the surface of a ring clamped in the engraving block or ring clamp, so that both of the worker's hands are freed for soldering. Third hand devices are generally freely swingable in a multitude of directions to enable the object held by the third hand device to be properly positioned on the item of jewelry.
However, third hand devices inherently have a certain amount of "spring back" which resists attempts to properly position the object on an item of jewelry to a tolerance smaller than, for instance, 1/32 inch. Consequently, it is desirable practice to move the object held by the third hand device to a position adjacent the final, proper position on the ring, and thereafter shift the engraving block or ring clamp slightly to bring the ring into proper positional relationship with the object. As can be appreciated, third hand devices which are secured to a work bench cannot follow the jaws of the engraving block or ring clamp when the latter are otherwise moved or shifted to facilitate access to the item of jewelry, and consequently repositioning of the third hand device is often necessary as the work progresses.
It would be a desirable advance in the art if a craftsman's tool was provided which could sturdily support an item of jewelry in a fixed position for work thereon, yet would include a removable portion having jaws which selectively grip the jewelry item so that the latter may be moved to another location such as may be necessary for filing and the like. Preferably, means coupling the jaws to a stationary support would include finger-actuated elements offering selective degrees of resistance to movement of the jaws relative to the support, and such a tool would include a handrest that is swingable to an out-of-the-way position when desired. Additionally, the tool advantageously would utilize a third hand device in such a fashion that the jewelry may be repositioned relative to the work bench without disturbing the relative orientation between the object held by the third hand device and the item of jewelry supported by the tool.